Sound Off is soooo lame

This weeks Sound off question on the Twin City blog is
Do you support the state’s land-taking along Route 12?

How lame can you get asking this question after MassHwy has completed the takings?

Legitimate Sound off questions over the course of this project might have been...

1. Will the Rt 12 project reduce traffic congestion?
   OR


2. Will adding traffic lights at Benson and Water or at Water, Nichols, North Main and Battles reduce collisions on Rt 12?
   OR


3. Were mayors Mazzarella and Mylott action to bypass the city councils and beg MassHwy to do the land taking for the Rt 12 project justifiable?

#1. Not likely.
The reconstruction of the Water, Bemis and Wanoosnoc intersection is likely to reduced delays at that intersection as a result of reallignment of Bemis and Wanoosnoc, reduction in grade on Bemis and additional dedicated turning lanes on Bemis and Water Streets. There is also the potential for reduced delays at North Main and Erdman Way due to additional lanes. However, The project adds two new traffic signals and the signals at State Street and North Main which already create delays are not significantly changed. Bear in mind that signals don't reduce delays, they create them.

#2 No way.
It's a common but incorrect assumption that signals make intersections safer. Studies show that the collision index, (potential collisions vs. actual collisions) at intersections are statistically indistinguishable regardless what type of controls, none, two way stop, all way stops, yield or signals, are used at intersections.
Much of the Rt 12 design involves raising sidewalks and creating curb cuts, which is expected to make the roadway safer. Again, that's not likely. The raised sidewalks and curb cuts will reduce the number of locations where conflicts are likely to occur but not the number of conflicts. The curb cuts will also increase delay times as drivers are force to use a single entry/exit from businesses along the road.
The new 4 lane design actually increases the number of driver conflicts because

• drivers will need to merge where there are lane drops
• drivers will have to make more lane changes to
  • be in the correct lane when making turns
  • go around drivers waiting to cross two lanes of traffic and access businesses through the curb cuts

#3 You judge.
MassHwy clearly stated that the cities of Leominster and Fitchburg were responsible for the taking of land for the project. Leominster councilors voted 6 to 3 against taking land for the project. Fitchburg councilors never even voted on it because they knew they didn't have the 8 votes for a 2/3 majority needed to approve the takings.

Have doubts about my comments on #1 and #2? Read the articles at the next two links. See how safer roads with less traffic delay are being built in other countries. See what we should have been insisting on instead of the antiquated and ineffective design we wound up with for Rt 12.
In Europe, minimalism has the right of way in road signs
Can 'naked roads' kill speed?
Wouldn't work here? Think again. Make sure to read to the end of the article
No road signs? Europe has surely gone mad